Eva Longoria Parker in "Over Her Dead Body"
(Credit: Dale Robinette/Gold Circle Films/New Line)
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“At first Tony was like, ‘Honey, I don’t care if you take my name or not,’” Longoria Parker says. “And then we were at the movies and we see the trailer, and he was like, ‘Yeah, that’s my wife!!!’”
Fans of the actress’ work on “Desperate Housewives” may be similarly eager for “Over Her Dead Body,” Longoria Parker’s largest big-screen role to date. She plays Kate, who’s all set to marry Henry (Paul Rudd) until an ice sculpture topples over and kills her on her wedding day. So, she does what any determined almost-bride would do: comes back a year later to haunt Ashley (Lake Bell) and prevent her from stealing Henry's heart.
Writer-director Jeff Lowell wanted Longoria Parker to play Ashley, but Longoria Parker had her eyes on Kate. “She has all the fun stuff to do,” she explains. “She gets to levitate.”
Longoria Parker talked to Metromix about playing a ghost, her craziest Valentine’s Day memory and why her husband could never be a Desperate Housewife.
You’ve been called the Sexiest Woman Alive. What happens when you play someone dead?
[Laughs] I think she still looks good. She looks pretty good for a dead girl. That’s so funny. I don’t know; do you take that to the grave with you?
Your sexiness?
Yeah! I don’t know. But I’m going with sexy as long as it’ll take me. People always go, “Aren’t you scared to be labeled the sexy one forever?” And I’m like, “God willing! I hope so!” My husband’s very proud.
Do you brag about him too?
I mostly do it at basketball games, like if he does an amazing play or does an amazing pass or shoots a three-pointer, I’m like, “That’s my husband!” People of course are like, “We know.”
Is your preparation different when playing a character who’s dead?
It was easy for Kate because she feels like she’s still alive. She kinda still has the mentality of, “This is my guy, and I’m still married, and I’m not moving on. Obviously [I’m] still on earth.” She kinda doesn’t get it that she’s not with us anymore. So it was really easy to play that side of it, and play that real.
Have you always wanted to levitate in real life?
[Laughs] I think everybody always has a dream of flying.
How would you use that to your advantage?
Depends how fast I could fly. I would fly to and from L.A. and San Antonio if I could fly.
If you and Tony had to switch jobs so you were on the Spurs and he was on “Desperate Housewives,” who would have more success?
Probably me. I was a basketball player, and he hates acting.
So you’d look better in a Spurs jersey than he’d look in apparel from the show?
Probably yeah. I’d look a little better in the number nine jersey than he would in couture.
Are you insulting his legs?
No, he has a pretty beautiful body, just not for Gabrielle’s clothes.
What are some things “Desperate Housewives” has taught you that wives shouldn’t do?
Nag and complain and lie. Basically anything Gabrielle does, don’t do. [Laughs] Don’t have an affair. Don’t have a cute gardener.
Valentine’s Day is around the corner. What’s the craziest Valentine’s experience you’ve ever had?
Craziest? I don’t think I have any crazy ones. In seventh grade one time a little boy decorated my locker and I opened it and all this candy fell out and balloons came out and I thought that was cool. At the time I was like, “He totally loves me.”
What happened after that?
We totally broke up like the next week. You know seventh graders. We’re very fickle.
If you could create a movie around your life, who would play you and other main roles?
To play me? At this moment in my life? Oh my gosh. Jessica Alba. ‘Cause I’d want to be a lot hotter. And to play Tony: Will Smith. That would be a beautiful couple.
